Endocrine Abstracts

Annexin A1 (AnxA1), a Ca2+ and phospholipid binding protein, is a mediator of glucocorticoid (GC) action in the neuroendocrine and host defence systems. It acts at least in part via members of the membrane bound formyl peptide receptor (Fpr) family, particularly Fpr2 which is also a target for the anti-inflammatory eicosanoid, lipoxin A4, as well as pro-inflammatory bacterial formylated peptides. Unregulated inflammation underlies many diseases, including...

Annexin A1 (AnxA1), a Ca2+ and phospholipid binding protein, is a mediator of glucocorticoid (GC) action in the neuroendocrine and host defence systems. It acts at least in part via members of the membrane bound formyl peptide receptor (Fpr) family, particularly Fpr2 which is also a target for the anti-inflammatory eicosanoid, lipoxin A4, as well as pro-inflammatory bacterial formylated peptides. Unregulated inflammation underlies many diseases, including...

Annexin A1 (ANXA1), a Ca2+ and phospholipid binding protein, serves as a paracrine/justacrine mediator of glucocorticoid action in the neuroendocrine system. Within the anterior pituitary gland ANXA1 is produced by folliculo-stellate (FS) cells and, following serine-27 phosphorylation (Ser27-P) and membrane translocation, acts on adjoining corticotroph cells to suppress ACTH release via a mechanism involving formyl peptide receptor (FPR) activation. To ex...

Pituitary folliculo-stellate cells express annexin-A1 (ANXA1), a mediator protein necessary for glucocorticoid(GC)-induced negative feedback of adreno-corticotrophic hormone (ACTH) release. ANXA1 acts via formyl peptide receptors (FPR in man, Fpr in rodents). Whilst pituitary tissue does not express Fpr1, functional data suggested Fpr2/Fpr3-selective ligands mediate feedback-like inhibition of ACTH.Hypothesis: Fpr2-selective ligands inhibit secretagogue-...

Sepsis is a major clinical problem, caused by a hyperactive immune response following infection. Worldwide prevalence is estimated at 1.8 m/year and mortality at around 40%1. Protective effects of the endogenous anti-inflammatory protein annexin A1 have previously been shown in many models, including sepsis2. We therefore chose to investigate the role of the annexin A1 peptide mimetic, Ac2–26, in murine experimental endotoxaemia, and to ascertain whe...

Sepsis continues to be a leading clinical problem, with ~1.8 million people worldwide affected. This continual increase in sepsis and related deaths is in part due to age, increased frequency of invasive procedures and widespread bacterial antibiotic resistance, with mortality often related to underlying disorders that often accompany sepsis. Sepsis affects the brain, and the impairment of brain function is often associated with severe infectious disease1. The endog...

Sexual dimorphisms have been observed in numerous diseases, particularly those associated with inflammation. Generally, males are more at risk of developing infection and subsequent mortality1, whilst women are more prone to develop autoimmune disorders2. Hormones, particularly oestrogens, are thought to play a significant role effecting these dimorphisms, and oestrogens have been shown to reduce the severity of sepsis3.I...

Animals that are socially isolated for extended periods show behavioural and physiological changes, including alterations in hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity. However, there is conflicting data regarding the effects of social isolation on the HPA axis, with studies indicating increased1, decreased2 and unchanged3 corticosterone levels following social isolation. We investigated the effects of social isolation on HPA activity ...

The anti-inflammatory protein, annexin 1 (ANXA1) acts via a formyl peptide receptor (FPR), possibly FPR2, in the neuroendocrine system to mediate feedback effects of glucocorticoids and thereby modulate the HPA responses to immune insults. Here, we explored further the role of ANXA1 and the FPR family in mediating the HPA responses to endotoxin (LPS), focusing on the adrenal cortex.Adult male mice treated with LPS (500 μg/kg, i.p.) showed time-depen...